The 2025 DII softball championship is upon us. The eight regions toss their first pitches on May 8 for a weekend of double-elimination regional action leading to super regional play, which ultimately lands eight teams in Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tenn., for the finals.
Which eight teams are going to be there? Well, the beauty of sports is we have no idea. It's not always cut and dry; the best teams don't always advance. Last year, four No. 1 seeds did make up half the finals field, but there were also two No. 4 seeds and a No. 3 seed that made it. In 2023, we saw sixth-seeded Cal State San Marcos make it all the way to the finals.
Let's take a look at the team with the largest target on their back in each region, as well as a sleeper pick that may just have the momentum to sneak through.
Breaking down the DII softball championship bracket
Atlantic Region
Team to beat: East Stroudsburg. The Warriors are the No. 1 seed here, and water is wet. East Stroudsburg has been the No. 1 seed in the Atlantic Region three years in a row, and though it was stunned in the regionals last year, the Warriors captured their first-ever Atlantic crown in 2023. This year, they won their first PSAC tournament title since 1980. They haven't seen Bowie State, their first-round opponent, this year, but they swept West Chester and split with Shippensburg, so they have some familiarity before they get to super regionals.
Team to watch: Charleston (WV). The Golden Eagles snuck through last year as the No. 3 seed, and this year are a No. 7. The odds are against them, especially having to face Kutztown, but what they did in the MEC tournament was impressive. After losing their first game, they bounced back and won the MEC, pretty much in dominating fashion. When you have a pitcher like Addison Mass in a short-tourney format, you go into it with an edge. She'll have to pitch at her best, which she was in the MEC tournament, allowing just four runs in her final five games.
Central Region
Team to beat: Augustana (SD). In three of the past four seasons, the No. 1 seed has emerged from the Central to advance to the finals. These Vikings were one of them in 2021, and so was current No. 1 seed Central Oklahoma — making the Bronchos a team to watch. However, the Vikings have earned the right to always be the team to beat here. They won it all in 2019, were the No. 1 seed in 2021 and advanced back to the finals last year as the No. 4 seed. That's an impressive five-year resume. Oh, they also enter the tournament on 21-game winning streak.
Team to watch: Southern Arkansas. Central Oklahoma is the easy pick to watch. The Bronchos have been a top-10 team for what seems to be the past decade. So, yes, they are a team to both watch and beat, but let's focus on the Muleriders here. They own the longest winning streak of the season in DII softball this year (27 wins from Feb. 28-April 15) and are 7-2 against tournament teams with wins against Augustana, Missouri Southern and Harding in this part of the bracket.
East Region
Team to beat: Wilmington (DE). The Wildcats have won the last two East Region titles and as the No. 2 seed are lined up to do it again. They have also been in the past three East Region super regional series, so this program knows how to win. Both of their starting pitchers — Kylee Gunkel and Delani Sheehan — have been on the East Region championship squads, and that kind of experience in the circle gives the Wildcats the edge.
Team to watch: Pace. Well, no kidding, the Setters are the No. 1 seed. However, what makes them so strong is pitcher Gisselle Garcia, who can utterly dominate this part of the bracket. She is one of several Pace pitchers that had the Setters front and center in the breakdown of DII's best pitching staffs in April.
Midwest Region
Team to beat: Saginaw Valley State. The Midwest is a region where we typically see the No. 1 or 2 seed advance, and that's usually because of the wide variety of new faces each year. SVSU is in familiar territory on the heels of its fourth-straight GLIAC title and in prime position to dominate this portion of the bracket. Having Macy Irelan is the circle definitely helps.
Team to watch: UIndy. It's not how you start, but how you finish. It was a bumpy season for the Greyhounds, but here they are once again right in the thick of things in May. They closed the season by splitting a series with Lewis and then defeating Drury along the way to a GLVC tournament championship. This team is tournament tested for a long time and could very well surprise this weekend.
South Region
Team to beat: Auburn Montgomery. Tampa is a very good softball team and deserving of the No. 1 seed. However, AUM has made two super regionals in the past three years, and this pitching staff could make it back-to-back this year. With one of the top rotations in DII, the Warhawks will be fueled by that dramatic loss in the Gulf South tournament, in which they lost a two-run lead in walk-off fashion in the seventh inning.
Team to watch: West Florida. Again, don't sleep on this Tampa team; Mariah Galhouse and the gang are perhaps the scariest group in the circle in this portion of the bracket. But there is no question you are watching the No. 1 seed already. Instead, let's point to the Argos, who are in the tournament for the first time since 2021 and in the national rankings for the first time since 2022. Coming off that walk-off win may give them unexpected momentum... or took everything out of them.
South Central Region
Team to beat: UT Tyler. This is obviously the most difficult region to pick a winner. Both the Patriots and West Texas A&M are in the top 3 of DII softball. The Buffs have not only among the best pitching staffs, but they have one of — if not the most — explosive offenses as well. But UT Tyler is just as impressive in all aspects and may be the most well-rounded team in the tournament. They were a favorite to repeat as national champions back in February and nothing has changed. They just defeated the Buffs 13-2 in the LSC championship, and again, the Buffs are the No. 3 nationally ranked team in DII.
Team to watch: West Texas A&M. See above. The Buffs are No. 3 in the NFCA poll and it may be too low. This team can flat out rake and has the pitching to keep runs off the board. There are some really good teams in this region, but I don't know how any of them get past West Texas A&M and UT Tyler to advance.
Southeast Region
Team to beat: North Georgia. Francis Marion is a great squad, but this is the Nighthawks' country. North Georgia has reached the super regionals in every season since the canceled 2020 tournament, has reached the finals three times and won it all in 2023. The Nighthawks have one of the best players in the nation in Carleigh Knowles and have a potent offense that should make it a tough team to beat.
Team to watch: Lenoir-Rhyne. Again, the Patriots are a fantastic team, ranked No. 2 in DII softball, sit at 49-4 and captured their third-straight Conference Carolinas tournament championship. Of course you will be watching them. But don't sleep on the Bears. They are the defending Southeast Region champs and are fresh off another SAC championship, entering the DII regionals on a 10-game winning streak.
West Region
Team to beat: Western Washington. Good luck picking a winner here. There has been a different champion every year since 2017. On top of that, some are No. 1 seeds, like Western Washington last year, and some are No. 6 seeds like Cal State San Marcos. So, let's go with No. 4 Western Washington to repeat. No. 1 Cal State East Bay just lost two in a row in an early exit from the CCAA tournament, so it may have a chip on the shoulder. However, the Vikings have the experience to navigate a tricky region.
Teams to watch: San Francisco State and Sonoma State. This is more so of the storyline than the talent, which there is plenty of. Sonoma State is cutting its athletics programs heading into 2025-26 and while the Gators' softball program will still be alive next season, several programs — including their baseball brethren — have been cut. These two schools are playing for way more than a trophy.
